Communications equipment



Dec. 31, 1946. w, H, GLMAN 2,413,345

COMMUNI CATIONS EQUIPMENT Filed July 3, 1944 Patented Dec. 31, 1946 UNITED STATES Z,tl3,345

PATENT OFFICE CQMMUNICATIGNS EQUHMENT Wayne E. Gilman, Gal; Park, 111., assignor to Permoflux Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation oi lllinois 5 Claims.

l his invention relates to communications equipment and more particularly to headbands of the character which are used to support earphones or the like sound reproducing means in the desired sound transmitting relationship to the ears of the user.

Such headbands conventionally include a clamping portion made from one or more spring steel bands which may engage or extend across the top of the users head and extend downwarly along and in spaced and clamping relation to the sides of the head, and at the opposite or lower ends of the clamping portion, a pair of mounting clips are adjustably supported so that earphones carried by such mounting clips may be properly positioned and pressed into the desired sound transmitting relationship to the ears of the user. In many instances, a resilient sealing means may be carried on the earphones so as to engage the side surfaces of the head about the ears, thereby to cushion the pressure applied by the headbands and, at the same time, seal out extraneous noises. Such conventional headbands also have included a protecting sheath of resilient padding material such as canvas, leather, or a combination thereof, which surrounds the principal portions of the steel spring members, and such a protecting sheath is often utilized to protect and position the wires which extend along the spring members for connection with the earphones arried by the clips at the opposite ends of the headband. In accomplishing such. positioning and mounting of the wires or connecting leads, such leads are often disposed inside of the protective sheath before the sheath is sewn in position about the springs, and at the ends of the sheath, such leads are secured to mounting brackets which form part of the connection between the spring steel members and the mounting clips.

In prior headbands of the aforesaid character, it has been customary to provide for limited adjusting movement of the mounting clips with relation to other parts of the headband, thereby to enable the earphones carried in such mounting clips to be properly adjusted to the particular configuration of the users head, and in attaining such relative adjusting movement of the mounting clips in prior headbands it has been customary to utilize a relatively complicated form and relationship of parts.

Headbands of the aforesaid character are subjected to extremely hard wear, and to widely varying conditions of use, so that in practice, it has been found that the fabric or leather sheath,

and the connecting leads, deteriorate because of wear, rotting, or the action of mildew or the like, or become unuseable for other reasons such as the presence of excessive grease or dirt thereon. When this condition occurs in headbands of the construction heretofore employed, it has usually been necessary to return such headbands to a repair shop so that they may be rebuilt or cleaned, and under many circumstances it has been found that such headbands are often discarded because of the difficulty of such cleaning or repair.

When headbands are thus in such a condition as to require that they be rebuilt or cleaned, it is desirable that the elements thereof be so constructed and related to each other that the necessary repair operations may be quickly and easily performed with the minimum amount of machinery or other equipment, and a headband that is thus adapted for quick and easy repair is illustrated and claimed in the co-pending application of Webster E. Gilman, Serial No. 510,113, filed November 13, 1943, patented Feb. 5, 1946, No. 2,394,374. The present invention constitutes an improvement upon the headband disclosed in the aforesaid copending application, and the primary object of the present invention is to enable headbands to be readily assembled or taken apart in a manner which is even more simple than the procedure required with the headband of the aforesaid copending application; and a further object of this invention is to simplify the manufacture and original assembly of such headbands. Further and related objects are to reduce the numbe of parts required in headbands of the aforesaid character, and to reduce the number of assembly operations that must be performed in the production of such headbands.

Other further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. i is a fragmental front elevation View of a headband embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the headband shown in Fig. l, the view being taken from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in a relationship that occurs during the disassembly of the headbands;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view showing one of the mounting brackets of the headband;

Fig. 5 is a planned View showing the upper edge of the bracket shown in Fig. 4, the view being taken from the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom planned view taken from line 6-6 of Fig. 4 and showing the lower edge of the mounting bracket of Fig. 4.

For purposes of disclosure, the present invention is illustrated as embodied in a headband I adapted for supporting earphones II of a particular size and construction, but it will be recognized that the headband of the present invention may be utilized for supporting many different sizes and types of earphones. The headband II! includes a clamping portion I2 and at the opposite ends of the clamping portion I2 similar mounting brackets I3 are secured. The mounting brackets I3 serve to support the mounting clips I4 each of which includes a yoke I5 for engagement with an earphone I I of the kind which is to be supported at each end of the headband. Each yoke I5 has aligned pivot pins I5A at their lower ends for engagement with appropriate sockets in the sides of the earphones I I, and the yokes I5 are mounted at the lower ends of adjusting or mounting stems I6 which are mounted on the respective brackets I3 for limited longitudinal adjustment and for limited rotational adjustment.

In the form herein shown the clamping portion I2 of the headband I B is afforded by a pair of relatively thin and narrow members 20 formed from spring steel in such a manner as to tend to move the ends thereof toward each otherwith a clamping action, these spring members 20 being connected at their opposite ends to the mounting brackets I3. In the present instance this connection between the spring members 20 and the mounting brackets I3 is of a permanent character. Thus, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the two mounting brackets I3 are similarly formed from sheet metal to afford a flat body portion having connecting ears 22 extended upwardly from the upper edge thereof and in spaced relation, and one of the spring members 29 is connected to each of these cars 22. In the present instance, such a connection for each of the spring members 28 includes a pair of spaced rivets 23 extended through the spring member 20 and the mounting ear 22 with which this particular spring member is to be associated. The connection between the spring members 28 and each mounting bracket I3 is such that the two spring members 20 extend at an angle to each other as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, this relationship being desirable in order that the relatively broad segmental contact area may be afforded near the upper or midpoint of the clamping portion I2. In view of the fact that the midportions of the band or clamping portion I2 are normally in contact with the top of the head of the user, means are provided which act as a protecting cover for such portions of the bands or spring members 20, and as disclosed in the aforesaid copending application, such protecting means are afiorded by a sheath 25 which completely encloses the intermediate portions of the spring members 29 and affords a relatively wide surface 4 area for contact with the top of the head of the user.

As disclosed in the aforesaid copending application, the sheath 25 is so constructed and related to the spring members that the sheath may be readily placed in or removed from its position about the spring member 20, and hence this sheath may be cleaned from time to time, or in the event of Wear or deterioration from any other cause, the sheath may be readily replaced without the use of tools or sewing equipment. In the attainment of this result, the sheath 25, as shown in said copending application, is formed of several pieces of material which are secured together in such a relationship that they may readily be placed in position about the intermediate portions of the two spring members 20. While reference may be made to said copending application for details of construction of the sheath 25, it may here be pointed out that such sheath extends across and beyond the lower or inner surfaces of the springs 20 and is provided with edge flaps 21 that are folded toward each other and over the outer faces of the springs 23 so as to completely surround and cover such springs. The flaps 21 are held in such a protecting relationship by means such as snap fasteners 28 that act between the flaps 21 and the portions of the main body of the sheath that are exposed between the two spring 20.

In headbands of the character to which this invention relates, it is necessary to provide electrical connections from the receiving apparatus to the earphones I I, and although such electrical connections may take different forms, such as series connections or parallel connections, the headband as herein shown is provided with means affording series connections for the electrical elements of the two earphones II. In accomplishing such connection, a connector cord is provided, and this cord has two insulated wires or connecting leads 36 and 37 which are covered by the usual sheath to a point indicated at 38 in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Beyond the point 38, the two wires 36 and 31 are capable of separation, and the wire 36 is extended so as to have its connector tip 39 secured in the terminal block 40 of the earphone I I mounted in the adjacent one of the yokes I5. The other wire 31 is of a greater length than the wire 36 and is arranged for connection with one terminal of the connector block of the other earphone II. Thus, a Part of the series connection between the two earphones I I is provided, and to complete such series circuit, and an individual connecting lead 42 is extended between the other two terminals of the two terminal blocks 40, all of the wires 36, 31, and 42 being provided with connector tips, such as the tip 39, in the conventional manner.

The several connecting leads are removably associated with the other parts of the headband, these leads being detachably associated with the mounting brackets I3 and with the clamping portion I 2 of the headband. In attaining this result, the intermediate portions of the two leads 31 and 42 are disposed adjacent to the respective outer edges of the two spring steel bands 20 and are enclosed within and held removably in place by the sheath 25 as shown in Fig. 2. Thus, these intermediate portions of the leads 3! and 42 may be readily put in place within the sheath 25 or may be readily removed therefrom for repair or replacement.

As disclosed in the aforesaid copendin application, the various lead wires and the mounting clips I4 are so associated with the mounting brackets l3 that such elements may be removed in a relatively simple manner. In attaining such association, the mounting brackets l3 are provided at their upper and lower edges respectively with outwardly extending ears it and it through which the mounting stems it are extended in a manner that will be hereinafter described in detail. The association of the mounting stems l6 with the mounting ears it and i t is of such a nature that. the mounting stems may be adjusted longitudinally and in a rotative sense to conform with the head of the user, and such association is attained in such a way tl'iat the mounting clips may be withdrawn in a downward direction so as to remove the same from the mounting ears 43 and it. The mounting of the Wires or connecting leads upon the brackets is is also of such a character that these leads may be removed or detached when this becomes necessary, and this attained through the use of spring clips 65, the present invention, while it follows generally the construction shown and claimed in the aforesaid copending application, employs a simplified construction that materially facilitates the manufacture and repair of the headband. Thus as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the spring clips are arranged to afford oppositely extending arms and l? and these arms have clamping heads id and so formed thereon so that these clamping heads may embrace the lead wires and hold the same firmly against the outer face of the mounting bracket it.

Each spring clip a5 is held in place on the mounting bracket 93 by a single rivet 5-5 that is extended through appropriate openings formed in the spring clip and the mounting bracket, the rivet 5% being disposed midway between the ends of the arms are and 1?. This arrangement provides for equal tension in the two arms and 41, and it will be observed that in the corn struction herein shown a single rivet is employed for each bracket as contrasted with a plurality of rivets that were required in the construction shown in the aforesaid copending application. While the lower edge of the spring clip 45 is in the present instance disposed in an abutment with the upper face of the lower mounting ear i l, this relationship is not solely relied upon to maintain the spring clip against rotation about the the rivet Thus it will be observed that each spring clip 35 has an upwardly extending spring arm 52 formed thereon so as to extend through. a opening 33A that is formed in the upper mounting ear it. Thus the engagement of the arm 52 with the sides of the opening ii-3A wiil in every instan e prevent undesired rotative displacement of the spring clip 45 even though there is no abutment between the lower edge of the spring clip with the car 44.

It will be observed that the spring clip that is to be mounted on the bracket id to which the lead 35 is extended has a clamping head that is somewhat larger than the clamping heads 48 or thus to enable this clamping head to properiy hold tie lead 35 in place, and as disclosed in the aforesaid copending application, a ring 53 is provided on the lead 35 adjacent the end 33 of the covering thereof so that this ring may engage a slot that is provided in each of the brackets This holds the lead 35 against longitudinal displacement. The arms iii and i? of the spring clips 43 have openings 55 formed therein for engagement by a pointed releasing tool so that the arms may be unclamped 6 in the manner disclosed in the aforesaid copending application.

The mounting stems it are associated with the mounting brackets It in such a manner as to enable slight rocking movement of the stems about their longitudinal axes, and as to the lower ear 4%, such association is accomplished in the same manner as in the aforesaid copendin application. Thus the lower car it of each bracket 83 has a D-shaped opening til formed therein and this opening has one flat side surface 6| as indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawing. The fiat edge or side surface El of the opening til is in this case disposed parallel and adjacent to the flat outer face of the mounting bracket l3, and the stem it has a fiat face 62 thereon that is extended throughout substantially the entire length of the mounting stem. The dimensions of the fiat face 62 and the fiat edge surface 6! are such as to permit limited rotating movement of the stem If: within the opening 853, as will be evident in Fig. 6. Thus when the stem 16 is in position in the opening St, the flat surfaces 6i and 62 cooperate to limit rotative movement of the stem, and the relationship is such that the earphone I i will at all times during such rotative adjustment be located in substantially the proper position for engagement with the ear of a user.

The upper ear A3 also has its opening 43A formed therein of a generally D-shape, but as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the side edges of the opening GSA are extended perpendicular to the face of the mounting bracket to such an extent as to afford space through which the arm 52 of the spring clip may extend. Thus the upper end of the mounting stem 16 may be extended through the opening 43A and when this is done the flat surface 52 of the stem will engage with the outer rounded head or surface 6 3 of the spring arm 52. The spring arm 52 thus acts to press the mounting stem against the outer arcuate portion of the opening 53A, thereby to produce frictional resistance between the mounting ear 43 and the stem 16, and such frictional resistance tends to maintain the mounting stem in a desired position of longitudinal adjustment to which such stem may be moved by the user. Since the spring arm 52 extends through the opening 43A, it will be evident that a considerable effective length may be provided in the arm 52, and this insures that sufficient resilient force will be afforded for action on the mounting stem 16.

In the aforesaid copending application, means were provided to prevent undesired removal or displacement of the stem it from the mounting, ears of the mounting brackets, but such means were formed as separate parts and were of such a character as to involve objectionable manufacturing and assembly costs. In accordance with the present invention, means of a simple and economical character are provided to prevent such undesired removal or displacement of the mounting stems from the mounting brackets i3, and as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, these means are of such a character as to utilize the resilient action of the spring arm 52 in accomplishing the desired result. Thus the upper end of the mounting stem it is cut away on its outer surface as indicated at 66 to thereby aiford a downwardly facing shoulder 67 that may be engaged with the upper face of the ear d5, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, as the stem 5% is withdrawn in a downward direction. Such engagement prevents complete downward withdrawal of the mounting stem from the mounting cars 43 and M, as will be evident in Fig. 3, and the mounting stem 16 is urged by the spring arm 52 toward a relationship where the shoulder 67 is effective. Thus, in a downward withdrawin movement of the stem IS, the spring arm 52 urges the upper end of the stem F6 in an outward direction so that by the time the stem is relatively close to the position shown in Fig. 3, the shoulder Bl will overlie the upper face of the ear &3 and will engage this face so as to prevent complete withdrawal of the mounting stem 56. In the event that the user actually wishes to withdraw the mounting stem, he may at this point in the withdrawing movement, apply an outward force to the lower end. of the mounting stem l6. As viewed in Fig. 3 of the drawing, this outward force will bend the spring 52 in a right-hand direction, the arm 56 bein pivoted about its point of engagement with the car 44, In such pivotal movement of the stem I6, the shoulder 6'! will be moved out of engagement with the upper surface of the ear t3, and the stem may therefore be withdrawn in a downward direction. A similar application of force to the mounting stem is is employed in the operation of mounting the stem in the ears 43 and 4 the upper end of the stem It being insorted through the opening 60 of the lower car 44 and being then moved upwardly into engagement with the lower face of the ear 43. The stem i6 is then rocked in a clockwise direction, Fig. 3,

to bend the spring 52 to the right and thereby align the end of the stem it with the opening 63A, and to facilitate such assembly the upper end of the stem l6, that is the portion above the shoulder 6?, is tapered or reduced as indicated at 68 so that this upper end may readily be forced into the opening 43A when the spring 52 is thus bent to the right. The shoulder 61 and the related surfaces may be conveniently formed by conventional screw machine operations by so relating 1 these surfaces that they are concentric with the axis of the stem it. Thus, the surfaces 56 and G8 and the shoulder 6'5 may be readily formed by a screw machine or th like so that the flat surface 62 is spaced from the axis of the stem IS in the same amount as the throat of the shoulder 61, and this arrangement results in properly relating all of the surfaces of the stem so as to attain the desired latching action,

It will be clear therefore that the provision of the shoulder B! may be accomplished by a relatively simple machining operation, and the assembly of the stems i6 upon the brackets i3 may be accomplished in a simple and expeditious manner. The spring arm 52 acts constantly upon the stem i6 and serves not only to maintain the stem l6 in the desired adjusted position, but also to render the shoulder 61 effective automatically to prevent undesired displacement or removal of the stem I6 from the mounting bracket l3, and yet such removal may be readily accomplished without the use of tools when such removal is desirable.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present invention materially simplifies the construction and manufacture of headbands and that the invention also facilitates and simplifies the reconditioning or repair of such headbands in the field.

While I have illustrated and described a se lected embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations one side thereof adjacent to its upper end to afford a downwardly facing shoulder, and said guiding means afiording an upwardly facing surface with which said shoulder may engage in downward movement of said stem, and spring means on said bracket acting against the other side of said stem to urge said stem laterally to a position wherein said shoulder will engage said upwardly facing surface to thereby prevent withdrawal of said stem from said guiding means.

2. In a headband having an elongated resilient clamping portion adapted to embrace the head of a user and having at least one end thereof provided with a mounting bracket se-' cured to said clamping portion, an elongated mounting stem having a yoke at its lower end adapted to support an earphone, spaced upper and lower mounting ears formed on said bracket for longitudinal adjusting movement, said stem being cut away on one side thereof adjacent to its upper end to afford a downwardly facing shoulder, and said upper mounting ear affording an upwardly facing surface with which said shoulder may engage in downward movement of said stem, and spring means on said bracket acting against the other side of said stem to urge said stem laterally to a position wherein said shoulder will engage said upwardly facing surface to prevent downward withdrawal of said stem from said upper mounting ear.

3. In a headband having an elongated resilient clamping portion adapted to embrace the head of a user and having at least one end thereof provided with a mounting bracket secured to said clamping portion, an elongated mounting stem having a yoke at its lower end adapted to support an earphone, vertically spaced upper and lower mounting ears on said bracket embracing said stem and supporting the stem on said bracket for longitudinal adjusting movement, said stem being cut away on one side thereof adjacent to its upper end to afford a downwardly facing shoulder, and upper mounting ear afiolding an upwardly facing surface with which said shoulder may engage in downward movement of said stem, spring means on said bracket acting against the other side of said stem at substantially the level of said upper mounting ear to urge the upper end of said stem laterally to a position wherein said shoulder will engage said upwardly facing surface to prevent withdrawal of said stem from said mounting ears, the upper end portion of said stem above said shoulder being tapered upwardly to facilitate end'wise insertion thereof through said mounting ears in the mounting of said stem on said bracket.

4. In a headband, an elongated resilient clamping portion adapted to extend across the top of the head of a user and downwardly along and in spaced and clamping relation to the sides of the head of a user and having a mounting bracket secured to at least one end of said clamping portion, upper and lower mounting ears on said mounting bracket and extended outwardly therefrom in vertically spaced relation to each other, said mounting ears having aligned non-circular mounting openings therein, a mounting stem extended through the aligned openings of the mounting ears, means on the lower end of said stem for engaging and supporting an earphone or the like, said mounting stem having at least one fiat surface extended longitudinally thereof for engagement with a non-circular surface of the opening in the lower one of said ears to limit rotative movement of said stem relative to said mounting ear, a retaining spring clip secured to each of said mounting brackets and having a spring arm extended upwardly and through the opening of said upper ear and engaged with the stem to frictionally retard longitudinal movement of said stem relative to its mounting bracket, the upper end of said stem being cut away on its outer side to afford a downwardly i facing shoulder formed thereon for engagement with the upper surface of said upper ear .to prevent longitudinal withdrawal of said stem downwardly and out of said openings in said mounting ears, said spring arm acting to urge said stem outward to position said shoulder for such limiting engagement with said upper ear, connecting leads extended along said clamping portion and over the outer faces of said brackets at opposite ends of said clamping portion, and means on said spring clips yieldingly engaging said connecting leads and clamping the same removably to said mounting brackets.

5. In a headband, an elongated resilient clamping portion adapted to extend across the top of the head of a user and downwardly along and in spaced clamping relation to the sides of the head of a user and having a mounting bracket secured to at least one end of said clamping portion, upper and lower mounting ears on said mounting bracket and extended outwardly therefrom in spaced relation to each other, said mounting ears having aligned mounting openings therein of generally circular form therein, the lower one of said mounting openings having a fiat side related as a chord to the circular portions of such opening, a mounting stem of generally cylindrical cross section extended respectively through the aligned openings of the mounting ears, said stem having a flat surface thereon extended 10ngitudinally thereof for engagement with said flat side of the low mounting opening to limit rocking movement of said stem, means on the lower end of said stem for engaging and supporting an earphone or the like, a etaining spring clip secured to said mounting bracket and having a spring arm extended through the opening in said upper ear and engaged with the said stem to frictionally retard longitudinal movement of said stem relative to its mounting bracket, and means on the upper end of said stem afiording a latching engagement with the upper mounting ear to prevent longitudinal withdrawal of said stem downwardly and out of said openings in said mounting ears.

WAYNE H. GILMAN. 

